Supporting the develpment of creativity and innovation - further issues examined as part of an extended curriculum development initiative

This paper examines the outcomes of an extended multi-agency curriculum development initiative in a representative sample of the twenty one schools involved in the project. The initiative's prime aim was to enhance the creative and innovative components of the Design and Technology curriculum. Throughout the venture teachers were supported in the application of a range of lateral thinking techniques, cognitive development strategies and universally applied methodologies borrowed from other fields of design practice and design education. Additionally, teachers were encouraged to adopt a more appropriate level of intervention in their teaching. The research employs a range of methodologies to gather and analyse the qualitative data generated during the enquiry. This approach has allowed a measure of triangulation, validation and reliability in the research. The outcomes provide evidence of raised standards of achievement and elevated levels of technological capability. The work also provides insights into the broader impact of the initiative in terms of teachers' increased willingness to embrace change, their perceptions of previous practice and their developing expectations of their pupils.